Meet Richard – Managing Partner at RFS Marketing & Communications Ltd

Today we’re in sunny England meeting Richard, Managing Partner at RFS Marketing & Communications Ltd. Richard & RFS have been using Bark since 2017. 

The team at RFS help private companies and charities of all shapes and sizes grow their business through social media marketing, website development, paid social media advertising, email marketing, and search engine optimisation – businesses supporting businesses, that’s what we like to hear! 

But how has Bark helped Richard to grow his business? Let’s find out… 

Tell us a bit about your company and what you do

We are a digital marketing agency based in the UK. We support businesses and charities with website development, social media marketing, paid social media advertising, email marketing and search engine optimisation (SEO).

What you were doing before you launched your business? 

I was a board-level director at a leading UK behaviour change consultancy, creating a positive impact through person-centred design. 

What made you take the leap to start your own business? 

I was really motivated (and still am!) by helping businesses to grow through the use of innovative digital marketing. So I put this into action, using my extensive experience in digital communications to set up RFS. 

What made you join Bark? 

We joined in 2017 as a way of identifying potential leads in a crowded market place.

Tell us about your experiences on Bark…

To date, Bark has delivered us an incredible 2343.4% return on investment for our company!

What’s the best thing about Bark?

There are dozens of leads in our niche delivered to our inboxes every day, with enough information to allow us to make an informed decision about whether or not to pursue each lead.

What are your top tips for success on Bark?

When you identify a good potential lead, get in touch with them immediately and don’t be surprised to have to call and email several times. Don’t expect them to get back to you, even if they specifically asked you to get in contact.

How helpful have you found our Customer Success team? 

Very. Whenever there has been an issue (which has been hardly ever) they’ve responded immediately to resolve it.

How has Bark supported you during the coronavirus pandemic?

The pandemic has largely been business as usual for us, if anything there’s been a greater demand for digital marketing support as more consumers needed to go online, and new startups requiring websites and social media campaigns have emerged.

We’re proud to support the team at RFS Communications, an incredibly talented bunch who continue to support businesses grow and thrive through digital marketing. 

Want to make a real difference with your digital marketing strategy but don’t know where to begin? Search for RFS Communications on Bark. Check out their profile, read reviews, and get in touch today. 

You can find RFS on social media too! Search for rfs_marcomms on Instagram, rfsmarcomms on Twitter, and @rfsmarketing on Facebook.

Check out more professional success stories on the professional spotlight series of our blog, or if you fancy yourself as the next success story, sign up as a professional on Bark today! 

We made it to the Rocket List 2021 – Bark is one of the top 50 companies to accelerate your career in London!

We’re thrilled to announce our debut in the Otta.com Rocket List 2021, recognising the top 50 companies to accelerate your career in London – what a way to kick off the year! 

 

Find out why Bark’s a great place to work – https://otta.com/rocketlist/Bark

Our growth has been nothing short of phenomenal. In 2020 alone we hit some huge milestones – launching in the APAC region, opening our first office in Melbourne, reaching 10 million customer requests, and increasing our team from 40 to 85, to name a few. When you look at it in the context of 2020, that’s some pretty impressive stuff. 

This wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing team. From the customer success agents who support our professionals in everything and anything to the development team who strive to make our product the best it can be, each team and individual is committed to propelling us towards our ultimate goal: to be the Amazon of Services. 

Bark’s growth is matched by the growth of its employees. We’re in a scale-up phase, so new roles and opportunities are always being created to solve emerging challenges. You don’t need to be the most experienced team member to progress – talent and determination alone are enough. This culture of inclusion is what makes Bark such an exciting place to work. But don’t just take our word for it – here’s what the team have to say: 

“Not only has my career grown since I started at Bark, but so has my confidence in the work I produce, my willingness to continually be learning, and my sense of accomplishment. None of this could be achieved without dedicated management and the constant support from other team members.”
Molly, Email Marketing Executive

“I was hired as a temp on the customer success team where I worked for 5 months. I was then promoted to Partnerships Manager and I’ve been in this role for 6 months. It’s a complete career change for me – before I was working in prisons and tertiary education in New Zealand, but I really do love it here. Bark has made me aware of other opportunities within the business right from the start and has fully supported and encouraged my career growth.”
Olivia, Partnerships Manager

“I joined Bark as a Customer Success Agent and moved into a marketing secondee role after a month. 3 months later I was made permanent, and I’ve never looked back. Bark recognises your strengths and helps you to cultivate them. I’ve been in here for 7 months and I can’t believe how much I’ve grown when I look back and reflect. The amount I’ve learned in such a short time is just incredible, and I’m so grateful for that.”
Katie, Content Executive  

“I joined Bark as a temporary employee in 2019 and since then I’ve been promoted twice! First to a Customer Success Team Leader and now to a Customer Success Manager. I don’t think any other company would have offered me the same opportunity for growth, and in such a short amount of time!”
Jamaal, Customer Success Manager 

Achieving the unrivalled growth Bark has in such challenging times is a reflection of its outstanding team and the innovative culture it promotes. 

We can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2021 as we continue on our journey! 

 

Meet Brandon – CEO of Brave Top Construction

Today we’re jumping across the pond to Ontario, Canada, to chat with someone who really knows the definition of hard work – Brandon, CEO of Brave Top Construction and Clean Er Up Bin Rentals. Let’s dive in!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your professional background. 

I’m 26 years old from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. I started Gutter Cleaning as a side job while running a bin rental business. 

I spent around 10 years doing roofing working for my father so it came naturally to me, watching him and my mother sell to people either on the phone or in person. 

That, combined with reading, and the fact that friends my friends were concerned about money during Covid 19 motivated me to start a side hustle on top of an already busy business. I wanted to show that you can juggle two businesses at the same time. 

Lots of my friends were complaining about how difficult it was to make money. I also wanted to prove them wrong – that it was actually achievable if you took the time to educate yourself about an industry by reading books, learning from YouTube, and applying that into action!

When did you join Bark, and why did you join? 

I joined Bark in June 2020. I wanted to challenge myself, and Bark seemed like the perfect platform to grow my second gutter cleaning business.

I started off with a goal to reach $10,000 in gross income in 1 month, and I knew I could do it as there were so many leads coming through on Bark – I just had to plan it accordingly. 

Did you experience any setbacks in the early stages of your business? 

Absolutely! When I first started I failed on every single lead. I was in a brand new role and industry, so I didn’t know what I was doing wrong. It was only through trial and error that I started to see some success. 

Within a few months, the business started to grow from strength to strength. My income was $200 in June 2020, and six months later I’d crossed my personal goal of $100,000 gross income. 

After that, the business just blew up. My favourite moment was when a major rainstorm happened – I got 52 Leads in one day and I had to turn off my business phone, it was going crazy!

What do you owe your success to? 

I focused on customer service, not money. The money will always come when you offer great service and care about the customers. 

Before launching my business, I also read a lot on sales, stocks, economics, business and decision-making skills. This gave me the foundation to deal with the everyday challenges of business. 

What’s the best thing about owning your own business? 

My favourite thing about having this business is being able to meet new people, which has also led to opportunities for business partnerships. 

For example, I’ve created a partnership with Alu-Rex where I upsell Leaf Guard to customers who are tired of having their gutters cleaned. 

Working with Alu-Rex has shown me different ways to approach customers, as well as teaching me how to educate customers on how Leaf Guards work. It’s a win-win scenario.

Tell us about your experience with Bark 

It’s been absolutely amazing. The customer support team respond to my queries on the same day. I owe a lot of my success to the team at Bark – 90% of success comes from Bark, the other 10% comes from me doing the job. Bark is there for you all the way. 

What’s the best thing about Bark? 

The customer support is like having free employees so why not leverage their amazing team?! They’re with you all the way, from teaching you how to be successful, to providing tips on how to sell to customers. You’ll have instant success if you understand how to engage with customers, Bark gives you all the tools to succeed.

Do you have any tips for success for professionals new to Bark? Or for new business owners in general? 

  • Respond instantly to every lead you know you can complete right away or you know you can book it in for the next day or so.
  • Make sure you have good credit so you can leverage your borrowing power for tools/materials. 
  • Customer Service first, money ALWAYS last.
  • Be prepared to reinvest your money and buy a bigger credit package, as this will give you a better discount per credit.
  • Ask the Bark team for help when needed. Let them know what they can do better to make your experience better.
  • Be honest to customers & don’t do poor work. Follow this and your life will change positively.
  • You can still do business on Bark if you don’t have a work vehicle. Just book your jobs in for the weekend and rent a van/truck for the weekend so you can complete the jobs. No excuses to not work for yourself.

How helpful have you found the Customer Success team? 

Extremely helpful. Occasionally I’ll send over suggestions on how to improve Bark. They scratch my back so I scratch theirs.

Anything else you’d like us to include? 

Bark has changed my life forever and they will change yours as well.

I want to say thank you Bark for the opportunity to change my life and inspire the friends and family that are closest to me. I always tell customers to go onto Bark if they need help finding any other services. Bark is the present and the future and I recommend it to everyone – customer OR professional. 

Wow – it’s pretty impressive to get your side hustle off the ground in the middle of a global pandemic, while holding down a busy full-time job – serious props to Brandon! 

If you’re looking for Gutter cleaning, demolition services, skip hire or waste management check out Brave Top Construction’s Bark Profile. Read their 5-star reviews, view photos of their work and request contact! 

Want to get to know more professionals? Head over to the professional spotlight section of our blog, where you’ll plenty of inspiration from people who built flourishing careers despite Covid-19.  

Could the next success story be yours? Join as a professional on Bark today. 

We’ve reached our 10 millionth customer request!

We’re wrapping up the year hitting a huge milestone here at Bark – we’ve reached our 10 millionth customer request! 

It’s a pretty mind-boggling number, and a great moment to reflect on how thankful we are to the customers and professionals who have brought the platform to life. 

Since Bark’s creation in 2015, we’ve grown pretty fast. Today, we’re able to serve customers in over a thousand different industries, plotting ourselves in eight different countries in all corners of the globe! And that’s all thanks to the talented professionals and customers using our platform. 

This year it’s been more important than ever to support local businesses, and we’re proud to be at the forefront of the effort, assisting businesses as they move their services online. 

When Bark began our mission was simple: to make finding and hiring local service professionals as quickly and easy as buying something from eBay or Amazon. While that hasn’t changed, we now have a much better chance of reaching that goal, thanks to the continued support of our professionals and customers. 

We’re looking forward to seeing what the future holds as we move forward into 2021, together. 

Meet Ivan – Founder and CEO of Magic Pro Cleaning

This week we’re off to Burnham in the UK, where we have the pleasure of chatting with Ivan, founder and CEO of Magic Pro Cleaning! 

Let’s hear how Ivan’s company has flourished into a thriving business, with a little bit of Bark magic. 

Tell us a little bit about your company and how long you’ve been operating for 

Magic Pro Cleaning was born in 2013 with the idea to create a unique experience for our clients. 

In the beginning, we provided carpet cleaning only. As demand grew for more and more services, I knew that if Magic Pro Cleaning was only a carpet company, the competition would devour it. Shortly after, I added deep cleaning to the list. Not long after, I added window cleaning and pressure washing to our services. Our goal is to be a one-stop-shop for cleaning. 

If you aren’t competitive and you don’t change according to your clients’ demands, it’ won’t be long before your business stagnates. 

What made you join Bark? 

Magic Pro Cleaning joined the Bark family in 2020. I’ve used Bark from the customer side, so I knew how it worked and wanted to give it a go. In less than a year, Magic Pro Cleaning has become one of the top-rated providers on Bark – we’re very proud to have been awarded the Bark Certificate of Excellence for our services. 

Tell us about your experience with Bark! 

On Bark, I managed to find many of Magic Pro Cleaning`s clients. It is also really helpful to know how our customers rate our services through the review section on our Bark profile  – it gives me the strength to go on!

 

 

What’s the best thing about Bark? 

It is really great to have a clear view of what the clients want before your first contact with them. When you call them with an offer it is a lot easier to convert the lead into a booking. 

Bark has provided me with a steady flow of clients, even in the coronavirus pandemic. 

What are your top tips for success as a professional on Bark? 

To succeed with so much competition out there you must offer a top service and listen to your clients.

How helpful have you found Bark’s Customer Success team? 

They are always there when I needed them! 

And there you have it, one man’s mission to change the world one cleaning service at a time, and a little bit of Bark magic. If you’re looking for a reliable, top-rated cleaning service, check out Magic Pro Cleaning on Bark. 

Magic Pro Cleaning is also on social! Check them out on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, and Youtube. 

Want to reach new heights with your business? Join as a professional today on Bark today. 

Meet Adrian – Owner of Ristin Construction

Today we’re off to Bedfordshire to chat with Adrian, proud owner of Ristin Construction. 

Let’s hear Adrian’s story about his company and how he’s grown it through Bark. 

Tell us a bit about you and your background! 

I’ve been in the construction industry for about 9 years. Before Ristin Construction, I started my journey in a labourer position and worked my way up to a site supervisor. It was in this role that I learnt the importance of health and safety, leadership, and teamwork. After years of learning and working hard, I decided to open up my own company and try to work on my own because I have a passion for what I do. 

When did you join Bark, and why did you join? 

I joined Bark in October 2018. I saw an advertisement for Bark and thought I’d give it a go – it looked like the right platform for what I was looking for. 

What has your experience on Bark been like so far? 

I’ve had the best experience since joining Bark. It’s really helped me get closer and closer to my goal, from the regular product updates to the staff that answer our calls and offer us insight and guidance. 

What do you like most about Bark? 

The best thing about Bark has to be how straightforward the whole process is, from making the account to the point where you start getting jobs – you feel supported by the team from the very beginning. 

Do you have any tips for success for professionals new to Bark? Or for new business owners in general? 

  • Visualise your goal, work hard, and never give up.
  • Don’t forget to ask for help and guidance from Bark’s Customer Success Team.
  • Insist on getting jobs, and work hard.
  • Finally, be polite, be friendly, and be yourself. Speak on the phone with a smile on your face (the clients can feel that). 

What do you think of the Customer Success team at Bark? 

The customer success team is amazing, very hard working, always there when you need them. 

How has Bark helped you through the Coronavirus pandemic? 

During the pandemic Bark was with me every step of the way, from phone calls to very useful updates, making it even easier to get in contact with the client to secure the job. They also offered information and guidance to take a professional and the clients through every day of the pandemic safely. 

Anything else you’d like to include?

Maybe this will inspire you. 

Before Ristin Construction I went through a bankruptcy, it was a very tough time, I suffered from depression and Bark helped me fight it and leave it behind. The feeling of being useful and to see that it might just be possible to reach my goal. I cannot stress how much Bark has helped me, I am very grateful. Thank you for not stopping, waking up early, and working hard. 

It was an absolute pleasure to chat with someone as motivated and hard-working as Adrian – we could all benefit from adopting some of his work ethic! If you’re looking for handyman jobs, decoration, driveway works, and much more in Bedfordshire check out Ristin Construction’s Bark Profile. Read their incredible 5-star reviews, view before and after photos, and request contact!

Want to meet more professionals? Head over to the professional spotlight section of our blog where you’ll find tonnes of inspiration from people who have grown their careers on Bark during Covid-19.

Could the next success story be yours? Join as a professional on Bark today.

Meet Debra – Personal Trainer at PlatinumFit PRO

This week we’re off to White Plains in the US to speak with owner of PlatinumFit PRO personal training, Debra Ann. 

Let’s hear about Debra’s journey growing her business with Bark. 

Can you tell us a little bit about what you do? 

I’m a certified personal trainer and health coach, with 20 years of experience in the field. I’m a muscle specialist, providing muscle centric movement to prevent, treat, or in some cases reverse chronic conditions that arise from being under muscled. 

By age 30, we are no longer in a growth phase; we experience shifts in hormones and bone mass restructuring. Having a solid resistance training and nutritional plan in place are the foundations to ageing with strength and beauty. 

Resistance training is not about looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger or…it could be. It’s about building on the strengths you already have, addressing concerns and achieving goals.

What made you join Bark? 

I joined Bark in November 2020. I found it by accident when I was browsing the web. I surveyed my clients and a few were familiar with the site and had positive results. On that, I decided to roll the dice and set up a profile and purchase credits.

Tell us about your experience on Bark 

Since joining a month ago, I have successfully anchored new clients. Bark has ample and qualified leads. I love the many distinctions on the client profile.  

What’s the best thing about Bark? 

Personal training is just that…personal. It is a one-on-one service that is a custom fit and tailored to the client. I feel Bark shares the same philosophy with its providers. 

The Bark support team is on call 24 hours a day. They are kind, courteous and helpful. My questions are answered quickly and they provide clever suggestions which have been helpful when setting up my profile. I appreciate having Bark to help grow out my personal training business.

Anything else you’d like us to include? 

Your customer service is the best I have come across. I feel supported by you all.

It was a real pleasure chatting with Debra and learning about her fitness philosophy – we wish we knew that much about how the body works!

If you’re looking for a Personal Trainer or Health Coach in the New York area, head over to PlatinumFit PRO’s Bark profile. Read reviews, find out more information and get in touch – all from one place! 

Keen to meet more professionals? Head over to the professional spotlight section of our blog where you’ll find plenty of inspiration from people who have built fantastic careers on Bark, in a global pandemic! 

Think the next success story could be yours? Join as a professional on Bark today!

UK home improvement trends in Lockdown 1 vs. Lockdown 2

After the first UK lockdown in March 2020, we teamed up with https://homeownercosts.co.uk/ to see what kept Brits busy during the lockdown, by looking at the most in-demand home improvement trades on Bark during that period.

We learnt that most people made the most out of their time at home by getting well and truly stuck into home DIY projects, with demand skyrocketing for outdoor-themed services and home decorating projects.

UK Lockdown 1.0 

After the second UK lockdown in November 2020, we decided to team up with https://homeownercosts.co.uk/ again to compare the increase in enquiries for the first 30 days starting from the first day of lockdown 1.0 vs. 2.0 (23rd March 2020 vs 5th November 2020). Here’s what we found:

UK Lockdown 1.0 vs. 2.0 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, demand for draught-proofing soared in lockdown 2.0 compared to 1.0. Looks like the cold got the better of us!

Strangely, requests for bed bug extermination soared in lockdown 2.0 compared to lockdown 1.0 – your guess is as good as ours as to why!

And some good news, requests for solar panel installation increased massively in lockdown 2.0 compared to the first lockdown. Perhaps suggesting that we’re becoming more environmentally conscious as a nation – that was one good thing to come out of 2020 at least!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to support local businesses during Covid-19

Shop local initiatives have always been popular, but following the disruption of Covid-19, our local businesses need your support more than ever. From personal trainers to plumbers, restaurants to photographers – all businesses have been affected by the pandemic to some degree.

One of the best ways we all can help is to support your local businesses as much as you can. Here are our top tips on how to do just that. 

Leave reviews

When you leave a review after having a great experience with a product or service, businesses are hugely appreciative. It creates what’s known as ‘user-generated content’, which isn’t just them tooting their own horn, rather members of the public. 

When the business likes or shares customer reviews on their page, it helps instil trust in other customers. You never know, your comment might just persuade someone to shop with that local business versus an online retail giant. 

So often, we only think to leave a review if we’ve had a bad experience (which is why most companies on Trustpilot have a less than favourable score) so don’t forget to leave plenty of positive reviews too, especially for local businesses. 

Interact with their content

Something everyone can do for free to support a local business is to follow them on social media. Better still, give their page a view every once in a while. Like their content, and share it with your friends. Even posting a meaningful comment will help expand their reach, plus it will give some much needed emotional support to businesses who may well be struggling at the moment.

Shop local

It sounds like an obvious point to make, but given how easy it is to order from large online sellers like Amazon, these days, local businesses often get left behind. Yet, it’s these very businesses that give our towns and cities character, not to mention occupy spaces on our high streets. 

Remember, every time you buy from a local business it puts money back into your community, rather than going to global corporations instead. It can also be a great way to get to know people, especially as the owners may well be your neighbours or even friends of friends. 

Recommend to friends and family

While most of our marketing focus is on social media these days, word of mouth still holds incredible value. When it comes to sectors such as tradespeople, everyone wants to hire someone who will do a good job. So if you’ve experienced excellent quality or service from any kind of local business, don’t be shy in telling your friends and family about it.

From the businesses point of view, it’s also a nice pat on the back when someone calls them up mentioning a previous customer pointed them in their direction. If they are a little quiet due to Covid, it can take the strain off their marketing efforts if your kind words are promoting them on their behalf. 

To sum up

Sadly, the phrase ‘use it or lose it’ very much applies to local businesses. However, even a simple gesture such as liking their Facebook page or putting in a good word with friends can be of huge help. By also keeping local businesses at the forefront of your mind while making purchase decisions, you will help support your community at a time when they need it the most.

Staying motivated while working from home

Coronavirus saw monumental changes to both how we work and where we do so. With 46% of people working from home during April 2020 due to the pandemic, you or someone you know likely switched up the office for the spare room or kitchen table. 

There’s no doubt that working from home has its benefits, not least with the reduced commute and being able to stay in your slippers all day. But without the structure of office life, how do you stay motivated? Here are our top tips to stop that procrastination in its tracks. 

Create a routine and stick to it

Hopefully, by now, you’ve figured this whole WFH situation out. But just because you don’t have to spend hours going to and from work anymore, it doesn’t mean you can get flexible with when you wake up. Make sure you set your alarm for the same time each morning, and that you start work promptly. Go to bed around the same time every night too.

While that might sound a little militant, creating a routine will hugely benefit your circadian rhythm. It’s also going to help you stay focused if you do the same tasks (such as checking emails, giving clients a call etc) at similar times each day. Otherwise, the day can slip away and before you know it, you’re having to ‘catch up’ on work late into the night.

Start with the difficult tasks first

Nobody is going to feel motivated to start that company report at 4 pm on a Friday. We naturally have more focus and attention in the morning, because we’ve only just woken up so we have more energy. But as the day drags on, our productivity falls. As we get towards the end of the week this becomes really noticeable, and we start to get distracted with thinking about the weekend.

That’s why you should always start with the most difficult or time-consuming tasks first. What’s great about this tactic is that once you’ve completed the task, you are free to relax with less pressing work. You’re also more likely to do a better job if you have your full concentration too. 

Avoid obvious distractions

The benefits of being out of the office are that you have all your home comforts within easy reach. On the one hand, this is great, but it can soon become a slippery slope. As an example, studies have found we check our phones up to 96 times a day. Then there’s the TV, especially with the likes of Netflix to keep us entertained in the background while we work. 

Removing distractions from your work area will help you keep focused because you’ll know that you can’t access them until your work is done. This in turn will spur you on to get everything completed, as you can use your distractions as a ‘reward’. By only allowing distractions to take up your free time, this will make you less likely to procrastinate. 

To sum up

Working from home has been an experience for us all, especially if it’s the first time you’ve ever been out of the office. Staying productive is one of the best ways to maintain your performance at work, and keep your mental health in check during the pandemic too. 

By following the above tips, you can learn to focus on the task at hand and save anything that’s not important until after you’ve logged off.